Measuring disparities in food access and its implications for nutrient-related diseases: an empirical study in metropolitan Atlanta

A considerable body of literature has investigated the role of food insecurity in resulting in a wide range of subsequent health implications and disparities in food access is often believed to be closely tied to food insecurity. Using Yelp businesses and USDA SNAP retailer data, this study proposes a multidimensional and spatiotemporal dynamic approach to measuring food access in metropolitan Atlanta from the perspective of Abundance, Diversity, and Healthiness. An inconsistent result has been found by comparing the space-based and place-based measurement, which suggests a non-dichotomous interpretation of urban foodscape. Furthermore, OLS and Spatial regression models are built to investigate the associations between food access and nutrient-related diseases. Mixed results suggest that living in areas with a great diversity of food choices have a strongly protective effect on prevalence rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, and coronary heart diseases, while there is no statistically significant tie between abundance of food and the occurrence of diseases. Findings emphasize the need for a deepened understanding of the components and manifestation of true food access.